So now its official, Auburn and Oregon will play for the national title.
Both won in convincing fashion yesterday to preserve solid, undefeated seasons. Oregon has so much speed that it just hurts your head trying to keep up. I can’t imagine what it must be like having to play them. Auburn has Cam Newton, who became only the second quarterback in history to go 20/20 (20 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns).
This is going to be a very fun championship game.
Only thing is, the BCS scored a big win here. Two teams, from AQ conferences went undefeated. There is no “one-loss controversy this year”. While TCU is also unbeaten, there is less national outrage at them being left out.
Another big win for the BCS is that two of the biggest Non-AQ programs (
Utah and TCU) are joining the big boys next year. The BCS took on the philosophy of “If you can’t beat them, invite them to join you.”
Now the Boise St. Broncos are the only non-AQ team left who has crossed the threshold and busted the BCS. Though they are a small market, logic says that the Big 12 (with their ten teams) could be eying them, along with BYU, to return to a 12-team league.
Still, it begs the question, what about TCU? What haven’t they done to prove that they are just as worthy of this accolade? I am telling you, there are not many teams out there who could come into Salt Lake City and beat down the University of Utah the way that TCU did. They punched the Utes right in the mouth and didn’t stop landing blows until the refs waved them off. And that was a Kyle Whittingham-led team riding sky-high on confidence.
At the very least, the BCS needs a play-in game. TCU deserves the right to play their way into the national title. It would only be one more game, and if Oregon is really the best team, why not prove it against TCU?
TCU is on its way to the Big East where it will dominate for the foreseeable future. Next year, if they are able to run the table, they will have a more compelling argument. For now, they will have to go to the Rose Bowl and face a tough Wisconsin team.
From the time I was little, I cheered for the Houston Oilers. When they moved to Tennessee and became the Titans, ,I moved with them. I loved the days of Steve McNair and the boys going to the Super Bowl.
How the mighty have fallen!
This last week, Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan was able to rile up the usually mild mannered Andre Johnson to the point of a fight. Some people call that "doing his job". I call it being an M.v.P., most volatile punk.
Its just the latest in a string of non-sense. For a team that has had to deal with Vince Young’s up and downs, and the “I was just being rebellion” of Adam Jones, it’s the last straw. I officially forfeit all my rights and priviledges that come with being a Titans fan. No longer will I cheer for them. I still have a lot of respect and wish them the best, but I cannot cheer for a group of hooligans like this anymore.
In 2007, the Boston Celtics assembled a “Big 3” that they hoped would compete for an NBA title. They matched the hot-shooting Ray Allen and the defensive minded Kevin Garnett with do-everything Paul Pierce. Everyone figured that with those three, it didn’t matter who else was on the court, they would win the NBA title.
It is true that the “Big 3” did a lot of the heavy lifting, but this team’s real strength comes from its role players, who do their jobs so that the “Big 3” can do theirs. It’s the reason they won the 2008 championship and why they are the best team in their conference this year.
In 2007, Rajon Rondo was a no-name and won the starting point guard spot by default. He has turned into an animal. He is one of the top 4 point guards in the league, no matter how you slice it. His growth has taken a lot of pressure off of the aging Big 3.
Kendrick Perkins is an extremely underrated player. At 6’10” and 285 pounds and long arms, he is the prototype powerhouse defender. He OWNS Dwight Howard. He can lock down just about anyone one on one.
Off the bench, the faces have changed, but the results have been the same. Guys like James Posey, Tony Allen, Glen Davis, Eddie House, PJ Brown, and Rasheed Wallace have all given a big hand to make sure that the team is strong.
Compare this to Miami. Miami tried to copy this idea by assembling their own “Big 3”. They combined the talents of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. We don’t have a big enough sample size to really see how good this Heat team can be, but what we have seen, the Heat have been little more than bullies, beating up the bad teams, and getting beat by the good teams.
Why is this so? The Heat big 3 has more pure talent than Boston’s big 3, so why the performance discrepancy?
Let’s take a closer look.
Wade v. Allen
Allen is one of, if not THE, best shooters of all time. Wade is not. Allen is in constant motion and runs around off of screens to get himself open. His trigger is quick and his shot is sweet. He does not need the ball to be effective.
Wade relies on power and speed. He needs the ball to be effective. His shot is so erratic that defenders can let him have as many jump shots as his heart desires.
Allen, because of his veteran experience, knows how to position himself on defense. Wade has more physical tools and is better at dominating on defense.
Pierce v. LeBron
LeBron is a freak of nature. At 6’8” and what has been reported as probably 270 pounds, he is one the fastest players in the league. He can get to the basket at will and has astounding court vision. Pierce is very crafty. He can do a lot of things well.
Both of these guys need the basketball to be effective. But, because of his ability to shoot and his maturity, Pierce is many times over more effective than James without the ball in his hands. He can absolutely punish teams for a double team of a teammate.
LeBron is so inconsistent when it comes to shooting that it makes it much easier to guard him than it should be. Additionally, while he can pass well, he will only make passes that can lead to assists. Unless it will benefit him in the numbers column, he won’t make the pass. This KILLS the team concept. The fact that this is eighth season in the NBA and he still hasn’t figured out this basic concept boggles my mind. At that size, you would think he would dominate in the low post, Nope! His moves are raw and undeveloped. I don’t think he really wants to win yet, he seems content with just being good, not great.
Pierce has lost a step, but can still be a lockdown defender, when he so chooses. LeBron can be as well, but its more a matter of technique. His stance is wrong and he doesn’t always go all out on that end. His highlight reel blocks give the impression he is a good defender, nothing could be further from the truth.
Garnett v. Bosh
Similar in build, but much different in heart. Garnett is certainly not a clutch player offensively, but he intimidates and doesn’t back down from anyone. Bosh would back down from a housefly if it got too close.
Bosh has more offensive talent and a more diverse repertoire of moves, but with Wade and James dominating the ball, his touches have been sporadic. Bosh is so easy to bully that it is almost humorous.
Garnett is not nearly as tough as he thinks. In fact, his chest thumping antics get old and look silly. Still, he is not afraid of anyone and talks a very good game. He is in more than a few people’s head. Including, as we found out this week, Joakim Noah.
In his prime, Garnett was the closest thing to Hakeem Olajuwon and the Dream Shake. Now he is merely a jump shooter. Still he passes well and understands the team concept on both ends of the court.
Bosh is also a jump shooter, but that’s merely because, as I have said before, he is tissue-soft.
Others:
This isn’t a fair comparison at all. Carlos Arroyo would be fortunate to be Rajon Rondo’s towel boy. Outside of Udonis Haslem, the Heat have no one who has an ounce of toughness in them. Big Z is soft, as is Juwan Howard. Eric Dampier will someday win the award for career underachievement.
In the 2004 movie “Miracle”, Herb Brooks says “All-star teams fail because they rely on the talents of indiduals.”
He was spot on. The Heat are not even the best team in the Eastern Conference, by a long way, and are nowhere near the best team in the NBA. TEAMS like the Celtics will beat the INDIVIDUAL TALENTS of the Heat any day and every day.
Derek Jeter and the Yankees agreed to a 3-year deal, the reports say.
This is a very good thing. I honestly can’t imagine Captain Clutch in any other uniform and it just wouldn’t seem right.
You don’t know what you have until its gone certainly fits here. In a way that Yankee fans perhaps don’t grasp yet, Jeter is a legend whose name deservedly belongs in the same breath as Mantle and DiMaggio, as Ruth and the rest of the best.
Who knows how many more titles the Yankees will win before Jeter hangs them up. At 37, his best days are behind him, but he is still a top 3 shortstop in the game.
Kudos to both sides for making some compromises to make this work.
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